Miniature building structure



Jan. 21, 1936. H, P. LUHN A MINIATURE BUILDING STRUGTTJRE Filed Jan. 24, 1934 I INVENTR i Y if j# 7 m ATTGRNEYS:

Patented Jan. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IVIINIATURE BUILDING STRUCTURE Hans P. Luhn, New York, N. Y.

Application January 24, 1934, Serial No. 708,027

9 Claims. (Cl. i6-26) This invention relates generally to building structures, and more particularly to devices for constructing miniature reproductions oi building structures.

The demand for devices adapted for the construction of buildings in miniature is quite Well recognized in the field of toys. This demand has, however. expanded into the field of architecture, since it is extremely difficult for persons unfamiliar with architectural drawings to visualize therefrom the appearance of a building as a Whole or the relative proportions, shapes, and arrangement of its parts. When a building is reproduced in miniature, however, a mental picture l5 of the full sized object is possible.

Heretoiore, miniature reproductions have generally been constructed on individual order principally from parts made specially for the particular job, and hence have been quite costly. Moreover, such miniature reproductions have usually been confined to a simulation of the exterior or the contemplated building structure, because of the diiculty, time and expense which would be involved in attempting to reproduce the more intricate nature of the interior.

According to this invention, the foregoing difficulties are overcome by using parts oi various standard sizes for walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, windows, staircases, nreplaces, chimneys, etc.,

and by providing a novel connector or key for simply, conveniently, efficiently and quickly securing these parts together at desired points.

My invention relates primarily to the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts which, together with other features, will become more apparent to persons skilled in the art as the speciiication proceeds and upon reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is ,a perspective view of a plurality oi 4 wall parts joined in various ways to illustrate the facility with which different structures may be formed;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form of connector or key.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another form of connector or key;

Fig. 5 is an elevation illustrating the application oi another form of the connector or key in joining ceiling or similar members with parts simulating exposed beams;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the assembly of Figure 5; and

Fig. 7 is a section on line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2,

and 3, at l0 is shown an assembly of wall members ii, marked, for convenience of identification, as ilo to ilf, inclusive, for the purpose of illustration. The members Il, which may advantageously be made of Wood, are shown as of uniform height and thickness but of various widths. By proper selection of interiitting parts of various widths a wall may be reproduced substantially to scale, say, for instance, a scale of 1 inch to 1 foot.

Each member il is shown provided at opposite ends with a centrally arranged longitudinal groove l2 and a plurality of spaced transverse grooves I3, thus forming a plurality oi' groove intersections. The transverse grooves i3 are preferably equally spaced.

The width of each member ll may be a function of its thickness. A convenient system to follow is to make the Width of any member Il a multiple of a standard thickness. t is also convenient to have the number of transverse grooves equal to this multiple. Following these principles, which are suggested for the purposes of illustration, a member with one transverse groove would have a square cross section, the grooves I2 and I3 forming an equilateral cruciform locking depression, as indicated at l, so that any face of the member may be joined, in the manner hereinafter described, in abutting relation with another member Il As illustrated, the member Ha has two transverse grooves, the member lib three, the member llc four, the member Ild three, the member Ile six and the member Hf three. A member with two transverse grooves would have a width equal to twice its thickness, etc., and any member would have a number of contiguous cruciiorm locking depressions at each end which correspond to the multiple of its thickness, so that anotherv member Il may be joined in abutting relation with either the front or rear face of such member in any of a number of positions, correspondlng to the number of locking depressions, as Well as in abutting relation with either end face thereof. The thickness of any member may be worked into the structural scheme not only to represent wall thickness but also as a unit in the face of the wall, for instance, to represent an oil-set in a wall as illustrated at i4 or to represent length in a wall as illustrated at l5.

The grooves l2 and i3 are preferably of uniform Width and the distance between the longitudinal groove I2 of any member il and either side face 24 thereof is preferably made equal to the distance between either end face 25 and the nearest transverse groove I3.

The longitudinal and transverse groove arrangement on the opposite ends of the members II makes it possible to joint the members II together readily and conveniently by means of a simple connector, for instance, a key or locking member of the type shown at I1 in Figure 3.

Member I1 is preferably of solid soft rubber and in shape comprises a shank I9 and two cross or end bars I9 arranged at opposite ends of the shank I8 to form an I shape construction. Locking member I 1 may be made of any other resilient material. and is proportioned so that an end bar I9 may be pressed into any transverse groove I3 and the contiguous portion of the shank I8 into the intersecting longitudinal groove I2 or an end bar I9 may be pressed into a longitudinal groove I2 and the contiguous portion of the shank I9 into any intersecting transverse groove I3. The end bars I9 and shank I9 are preferably slightly larger than the grooves so that when pressed into the grooves they will hold themselves in place. The length of the shank I9 is preferably slightly less than twice the distance between any longitudinal groove I2 and either side face 24, or, which is the same thing, slightly less than twice the distance between either e-nd face 25 and the nearest transverse groove I3.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2 the members Ila. and IIb are secured together with their end faces 25 abutting. The particular member I1 visible at the top has one end bar I9 in a transverse groove I3 of the member IIa and its other end bar I9 in a transverse groove I3 of the member IIb with the shank I 9 fitting into those portions of the longitudinal grooves I2 of the members IIa and IIb which fall therebetween.

As previously pointed out, the shank I8 is slightly shorter in length than the associated portions of grooves I 2, and the stretch necessary to force it home places suicient tension thereon to hold the parts firmly together. Members II a and IIb are, of course, secured together in a similar manner at the bottom.

The manner of securing one end face 25 of a member II to a side face 24 of another member II to form a corner, is illustrated at 29 and 2I. At 20 an end face 25 of the member IIb is secured to a side face 24 of the member IIc by pressing one cross bar I9 into the nearest transverse groove I3 of the member IIb and pressing the other cross bar I9 which projects from the end face of member IIb into the longitudinal groove I2 of the member I Ic. In this case, the longitudinal groove I2 of the member I Ib is in alignment with the adjacent transverse groove I3 of the member IIc so that the shank I9 ts into the end of the longitudinal groove I2 of the member IIb and into one end of the adjacent transverse groove of the member IIc.

The same arrangement is illustrated at 2l where an end face 25 of the member I Id abuts the rear side face 24 of the member Ile to form a corner.

A manner of securing two members together to form an olf-set in a wall is illustrated at 22 where the cross bars I9 t into the longitudinal grooves I2 of the members llc and IIcZ and the shank I8 which extends normally of the faces 24 fits into the intermediate aligned portions of the adjacent transverse grooves I3.

A manner of securing an end face 25 of a member II to a side face 24 of another member II to form a partition is illustrated at 23 where one cross bar I9 of the locking member fits into the longitudinal groove I2 of the member IIe and the other cross bar I9 fits into the nearest transverse groove I3 of the member IIf. The shank I8 fits into the intermediate aligned portions of the adjacent transverse groove I3 of the member I Ie and of the longitudinal groove I2 of the member Hf.

It will, of course, be obvious that the member Il] may be shifted to other positions along the side face 24 of the member I Ie so as to bring the shank I9 into any of the transverse grooves I3 of the member IIe. In fact the same is also true at 29, 2|, and 22, should this be desired.

When it is desired to take an assembled structure apart, the adjoining structural members II may readily be disconnected and separated by grasping them and sliding the-m in opposite directions on each other.

Referring now to Figures 5J?, it will be noted that the longitudinal grooves 26 and transverse grooves 21 of each member 28 are formed in a face of the member 28. are parallel to its edges and are equally spaced from said edges. 'I'he locking members I1a are shown with shanks Illa which are somewhat longer than the shanks I8 although this would not be essential if the grooves 26 and 21 were arranged closer to the edges of the member 2B. This would be as convenient if the special structure to be hereinafter described for securing the members 2B to the beam 29 were not desired.

When the beam structure is desired, the beam 29 is formed with opposed longitudinal grooves 30 and opposed longitudinal tongues 3|. The members 29 are provided with peripheral grooves 32 and peripheral tongues 33. The tongues 3| on the beam 29 fit into the grooves 32 of the members 28 and the tongues 33 on the members 28 t into the grooves 30 on the beam 29 as shown in Fig. 5. The locking members Ila secure the parts together as illustrated. Beam 29 is provided with slots 34 to permit passage there-- through of the shanks IBa of the locking members Ila. As shown, the Shanks Illa t into the transverse grooves 21 and the cross bars I9a t into the longitudinal grooves 26. Inasmuch as the locking members IIa are elastic. and the Shanks Ia are of a length slightly less than twice the distance between any groove and the adjacent parallel side edge of the member 28 the parts are held together with suiicient tension to hold them in place. In securing the beam 29 and the members 23 together, it is usually more convenient first to t the locking members I1a into the appropriate grooves 26 and 21 of the members 29 and then interflt the tongue and groove portion of the beam with the corresponding portions of the associated members 29. In

order to do this it will, of course. be necessary to pull the members 28 away from one another against the tension of the locking members Ila, but the elasticity of these members makes this possible.

.inasmuch as the grooves 32 and tongues 33 on the members 28 are peripheral the portions 36 and 31 of the grooves and tongues, respectively at the ends of members 28, permit the use of a cross beam should such a structure be desired. or should it be desired to arrange the beam be tween two ends of the members 28 instead of between two sides thereof. It will be noted that the body portions 39 of the members 28 overlap the tongues thereon so that the edges 39 of the members 28 abut each other to form a smooth and continuous surface over the beam 29.

While the use of soft rubber for the locking fil members is very convenient, other forms of loe-king members may be employed, such, for instance, as that shown at 40 in Fig. 4. Locking member 40 comprises a single strip of metal bent at its ends into cross or end bars QI and intermediate its ends into a shank 42. It will be noted that shank 42 is bent in zig-zag fashion to ailord an elastic connection between the cross bars dl. Thus shank 42 functions similarly to the Shanks i8 and la of the members il and lla.

While the invention has been described in connection with the Joining together of structural members in miniature, it is to be understood that it may be applied for the purpose of securing together full sized structural members, for instance, parts of stage scenery, etc.

Although the members H and 28 have been illustrated as being solid, they may be provided with simulations of windows, doors, etc. either stmcturally or by painting.

Many structural parts may be secured in place by prem'ng one end bar I9 and a portion of the shank I8 into the grooves of a single member ii at an intersection of said grooves in the regular Way and leaving the remaining portion of the shank I8 and the remaining cross bar I9 free. Attachment of any part to the member I l may be effected for insta-nce by forming a hole or slot in said part just sulciently large to pass the free cross bar I9 therethrough. Said cross bar le may then be made to engage the face of said part on opposite sides of said hole to hold said part in place.

Many other uses will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art upon becoming iamiliar with this invention.

Although a specio embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in ded tail there are many changes and variations which may be made without departing from the nvention and I desire to include all such changes and variations within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination; a pair oi structural members arranged with one face of one member in abutting relation with a face of the other to form an angularly disposed portion of a building structure, each of said members being provided on other, adjacent lace-s thereof with a longitudinal groove and a transverse groove intersecting the latter, portions of the grooves in the abutted members being in alignment; and a resilient connector having a zig-zag shaped metal shank engaged in the aligned groove portions and a pair of metal cross-bars respectively engaged in a transverse groove of one member and a longitudinal groove portion in the other member for interlocking said members.

2. In combination, a plurality of structural members arranged in abutting relationship to form a portion of a building structure, each of said members having a longitudinal groove and a plurality of spaced cross grooves in at least one end of said member and forming substantially cruciform shaped depressions therein, the abutting members being so positioned that the adjacent cross and longitudinal grooves of each pair of abutting members cooperate to form at their junction cruciform recesses for receiving similarly shaped connecting members therein, and a plurality of resilient substantially I-shaped oonnecting members. the cross pieces of which are of suitable dimensions to lit in said cross and longitudinal grooves and the Shanks of which are sumciently short to necessitate longitudinal stretching of said connecting members in order to 1ocate the cross bars oi said members in the receiving grooves of said cruclforrn recesses formed by the abutting members, thereby creating, upon insertion of said connectors in said recesses, a tension which causes the abutting surfaces of the connected members to be in close frlctional contact such that the'joined members resist separation by transverse and vertical movements of the members in opposite directions.

3. In combination, a structurel member provided on one face with a longitudinal groove and an intersecting transverse groove forming a substantially eruciforni shaped locking depression adjacent the end of said face, and a. resilient I- shaped connector consisting of a shank and e. substantially rectangular shaped cross bar at each end of said shank, said connector being partially engaged in said depression and partially projecting beyond said member for interlocking the latter with an abutting struc-tural member, the shank of said connector being suuiciently short to necessitate longitudinal stretching thereof to connect the member in Which it is partially recessed with the abutting structural member, whereby close Contact between the two members will be provided.

4. In combination, a structural member rectangular in cross section and provided at one end with a longitudinal groove centrally disposed between opposite side edges of said end and intersected at right angles by a transverse groove which extends through the side edges of said ond to form therein a substantially rectangular:= cruciform shaped locking depression, and a resilient -shaped connector consisting of a solid soft rubber shank and a solid soft rubber substantially rectangular shaped cross bar at each end ol' said shank, one of said cross bars being engageable in either groove of said cruciform depression, said shank being partially engageable in the other groove and partially projecting beyond said member for acting with its other projecting cross bar to connect said member to an abutting similarly grooved structural member at any side of the former, the shank of said connector being normally slightly shorter than the distance between the cross bar engaging grooves in the respective abutting members so that once the connector is located in the cruciform locking depression of said members it will exert a tensioning force and thereby hold the abutting members in intimate frictional Contact.

5. In combination, a structural member provided on one face with a longitudinal groove disposed centrally between opposite edges of said face and a plurality of equally spaced transverse grooves intersecting said longitudinal groove at right angles to form a plurality of contiguous rectangular shaped cruciiorm locking depressions therein, and a plurality of resilient I-shaped connectors each having a substantially rectangular shaped cross bar engageable in the longitudinal portion of any depression and extending at right angles to a shank which has another substantially rectangular shaped cross bar on its other end, said shank being partially engageable in the transverse portion of said depression and partially projecting from said member for connecting with its other cross bar another similarly grooved structural member thereto at either side thereof in any of a number of positions corresponding to the number of depressions, the shank of each of said connectors being oi' such length that it must be stretched longitudinally to enable its projecting cross bar to engage the intended receiving groove in the abutting member, and once it is fully engaged to hold said members in frictional contact With each other.

6. In combination, a plurality of structural members arranged in abutting relationship to form a portion of a building structure, each of said structural members having intersecting longitudinal and transverse grooves, a plurality of frictional contact connecting members, each' of substantially I-shaped construction and made of elastic material, the intersecting grooves of said abutting members forming rectangular I-shaped depressions suitable for receiving said I-shaped connecting members, said connecting members being of such dimensions that each of the cross bars thereof is adapted to engage at least one of the walls of adjacent transverse grooves when inserted therein and to resiliently hold the abutting members in close physical contact with each other.

7. In combination, a pair of structural members arranged with one face of one member in abutting relation with a face of the other to form an angularly disposed portion of a building structure, each of said members being provided on other adjacent faces thereof with a longitudinal groove and a transverse groove intersecting the latter, portions of the grooves in the abuttecl members being in alignment, and a substantially I-shaped rubber connector having an elastic shank engaged in the aligned groove portions and a pair of elastic cross-bars respectively engaged in a transverse groove of one member and a longitudinal groove portion of the other member for interlocking said members in close frictional contact such that the members will not become disconnected by the vertical and horizontal stresses normally encountered in handling and using the building structure.

8. In combination, a pair of structural members adapted to be arranged edge to edge in abutting relationship to form a flat surface, a beam shaped structural member having opposite portions adjacent one surface adapted to be received between said structural members at said abutting edges, cross grooves in one face of each of said structural members, the cross grooves adjacent said abutting edges of said structural members adapted to cooperate to form I-shaped depressions, and I-shaped rubber locking members adapted to be stretched and pressed into said depressions, said locking members being of such dimensions that when they are 'stretched and placed in the depressions they tend to spring back and force said structural members into close contact with each other.

9. In combination, a structural member provided on one face with a longitudinal groove and an intersecting transverse groove forming a connecting means receiving depression in said face. and a resilient connector having a shank and end pieces partially engaged in said depression and partially projecting beyond said member for connecting the latter with another structural member, the dimensions of said connector being such that it must be stretched before insertion in said other member and when inserted tends to contract thereby holding the connected members in intimate contact suilicient to prevent the members becoming disconnected during their normal intended use.

HANS P. LUHN. 

